2019 DOHA, Qatar

Tomas Berdych grabs Doha wild card to kick off 2019 season --- Berdych did not compete after the Fever-Tree Championships in June due to a back injury. And while the Czech -who had finished 12 consecutive seasons (2006-17) inside the Top 20 of the year-end ATP Rankings- will be disappointed to have fallen as low as World No. 71, there?s no reason to believe the former World No. 4 will not be able to bounce back. Berdych began 2018 on a high note, reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, losing to eventual champion Federer. But in that event, Berdych defeated Juan Martin del Potro and Fabio Fognini, two of the season?s biggest standouts. Del Potro won his maiden ATP Tour Masters 1000 title less than two months later in Indian Wells, and Fognini would capture three titles. Berdych is scheduled to return to action in Doha, where he reached the final in 2015 and the semi-finals in 2016-17. The Czech star is also entered in the Australian Open.